Humminbird, a leading maker of marine electronics, announced Tuesday it is creating 77 jobs at its plant in Barbour County through an expansion that will help the company meet strong consumer demand for its depth finders.

“Humminbird has grown significantly over the last six years and we expect it to continue to grow,” said Craig Packard, general manager of the company’s Alabama facility. “To increase our capacity to meet future demand, we are investing in growing our workforce and continuing to expand our facilities.”

Packard said the company plans to add the new positions by early fall, with direct assembly workers accounting for approximately half of the job openings. Humminbird is also recruiting for technicians, supervisors and positions in shipping, information technology, human resources and technical support.

The Eufaula plant currently employs 222 full-time workers, along with 65 part-timers.

A sign-on bonus is offered for all new positions. Interested candidates can apply by sending a resume and cover letter to FishingHR@johnsonoutdoors.com or by filling out an application at the Alabama State Employment Service on State Docks Road in Eufaula.

“It’s always significant when a company that makes first-class products like Humminbird chooses to expand its Alabama operations, because that shows real confidence in the workforce and in the operation’s future success,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This growth represents an exciting new chapter for Humminbird in Eufaula.”

Humminbird, a leading maker of marine electronics products, is launching an expansion project at its plant in Barbour County, where it produces depth finders. (Johnson Outdoors/Humminbird)

Growth plans

Additionally, the company is investing in a multimillion-dollar expansion of its Eufaula facility to include a 27,400-square-foot project scheduled to start this fall. The expansion will increase the facility’s production and assembly areas by more than 25%, and the investment will include significant purchases of capital equipment.

This expansion follows a 17,000-square-foot addition in May, which increased the facility’s warehouse space by 40%.

“Humminbird and Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics Inc., have been a great partner in Eufaula for over 50 years,” said Philip Clayton, director of economic development at the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. “They are pioneers in the fishing electronics industry and continue to set a very high bar for the industry today.

“We are always very proud to call Eufaula home of Humminbird depth finders. Humminbird’s innovative products keep winning major tournaments, and this latest expansion will increase production capacity to meet growing market demands,” Clayton said. “Just as important, they will add another 77 new, well-paying jobs to our community.”

Humminbird, founded in 1971 and now part of Racine, Wisconsin-based Johnson Outdoors, produces fish finders, multifunction displays, autopilots, ice flashers and premium cartography products.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.